KINGSTON, Jamaica — Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) is renewing its call for greater clarity under the Education Act on the extent of school administrators’ authority to exclude students from graduation ceremonies, urging the introduction of clearer statutory limits to guard against arbitrary decision-making.

The renewed appeal follows media reports that a former student of Holland High School in Trelawny was barred from participating in her graduation ceremony after failing to sit the school’s mandatory Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM) examination, despite reportedly being invited to deliver the keynote address at the institution’s valedictory service.

In a release issued Tuesday, FWCF cited reports that said the student questioned the school’s reliance on the grade nine EDPM examination as a graduation requirement. She reportedly alleged that frequent teacher absences left her inadequately prepared to sit the assessment. Her mother also claimed the matter was reported to the Ministry of Education about two weeks before graduation, but no intervention occurred before the ceremony.

The foundation expressed concern over the ministry’s alleged failure to respond in a timely manner, arguing that such delays fall short of its responsibility to protect the best interests of children. It noted that similar concerns were raised in the recent Ascot Primary matter, in which ministry intervention reportedly occurred after the graduation ceremony.

According to the reports, the student’s family also appealed to the chairman of the school’s board to allow her to participate in the graduation despite not meeting the stated requirement, but the request was denied.

“This case raises important questions about the legal basis for excluding students from graduation ceremonies. The Constitution of Jamaica is the supreme law of the land, and all administrative decisions must be lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.

“Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child further requires that the best interests of the child be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children. While schools may establish reasonable policies under the Education Act, those policies must always be exercised within the limits of the constitution and the law,” FWCF said.

FWCF is urging the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to investigate the matter promptly and issue clear guidance to schools to ensure future decisions are lawful, transparent, procedurally fair, and consistent with the best interests of the child.